Educated Analysis: Major Howard Egan Did Not Live In Richmond

This article is an educated analysis of the life of Major Howard Egan and whether he did or did not live in Richmond. I know that many of my critics will argue this fact, however, I want it to be clear that I am using the knowledge that I have gained from school at BYU-Idaho while trying to obtain my Family History Degree.

Who is Major Howard Egan?

Major Howard Egan

Howard Egan was born June 15, 1815 in Tullamore, Ireland to Howard Egan Sr. and Anne Meade. Howard Egan began serving in the British Royal Navy earning the rank of Major. Howard was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841, and soon moved to Nauvoo, Illinois where he helped in many early Church events.1

After the assassination of Joseph Smith in 1846, Howard Egan and his family moved to Utah and helped to settle the rough land. He is most notably known for his role in the Pony Express. Howard Egan died on March 16, 1878 in Salt Lake City, Utah and was buried in the city's cemetery. This is only a short summary of the great man.

Did Major Howard Egan Live in Richmond?

The best way to know whether or not someone lived in a specific area is through documents. On Familysearch.org, the world's largest family history documentation database, there are 209 sources/documents about Major Howard Egan, ranging from his birth records2 to his time in the Mormon Battalion.3

Within these documents come a few works, such as Faithful and Fearless: Major Howard Egan (2017) by William G. Hartley; Compiled Histories of Major Howard Egan and Tamson Parshely Egan (2004) by Margie Egan Farnes Stevens; The Story of Major Howard Egan (2000) by James D. Martin; Howard Egan: Frontiersman, Pioneer and Pony Express Rider (1956) by J. Raman Drake; Pioneering The West, 1846 to 1878: Major Howard Egan's Diary (1917) by the children of Howard R. Egan.

Out of all of these works and documents, not a single one mentions that Major Howard Egan lived in Richmond. However, his oldest son Howard Ransom Egan did live in Richmond. Howard R. moved to Richmond in 1869-1870 and is present in all Richmond Utah Census records from 1880-1910. Howard R. Egan died in Richmond in 1916 and was buried in the Richmond Cemetery.

Howard Ransom Egan

Howard R. helped his father in many different activities, including his time working in the Pony Express. Howard R. and his father Major Howard were most likely very close, and Major Howard likely visited his son in Richmond on multiple occasions.

I believe that due to the confusion of how similar their names are, it has been confused that Major Howard Egan lived in Richmond. With all the hours of research I've put in, I can safely say that Major Howard Egan did not live in Richmond, and really had no association with the city except that his son liv here.

Sources:

1. Drake, J. Raman, "Howard Egan: Frontiersman, Pioneer and Pony Express Rider" (1956). Theses and Dissertations. 4649, pgs 12-13. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5648&context=etd

2. "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5VW-M1N : 2 March 2021), Howard Egan, 1815. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5VW-M1N

3. Howard R. Egan Estate. (1917) Pioneering the West, 1846 to 1878, pg 15. Familysearch.org. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/429160/?offset=&return=1#page=15&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=mormon%20battalion